


an agile love story

by seaofolives



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Not Beta Read, October Prompt Challenge, Older Gladiolus Amicitia, Older Ignis Scientia, Older Noctis Lucis Caelum, Older Prompto Argentum, Random & Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:07:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26912626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seaofolives/pseuds/seaofolives
Summary: gladio is a senior tester in a software company and ignis is an agile coach. what happens next will surprise you!
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 10
Kudos: 14





	an agile love story

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mooglecharm (morphaileffect)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/morphaileffect/gifts).



> this was only supposed to be short enough for screenshots on twitter but it got too long and now here it is. x_x written for #igtober (agile), #gladtober (cyberpunk) and #xvtober (older bros)

“Excuse me…” In a singsong note, Prompto opened the door, paw still tapping the glass gently only to straighten up when he recognized the lone occupant of the meeting room. “Oh, itʼs just Gladio!” 

From where he sat, Gladio waved a heavy hand at his friend. “Yo.” With the other hand, he held an old trade paperback, complete with the stained orange pages and battered corners. 

“Hey, the marshal know about this?” From behind Prompto came the other guy in their trio, Noctis. In his characteristic black hoodie, black shirt and those soft black tresses which never seem to stay in place so he keeps having to push it up off his face. When he was younger, he used to wear them in carefully styled layers and spikes, he said. Now that he was ten years older, and ten-times calmer, heʼd traded his gel or whatever for a ring around his finger. 

“The marshal knows Iʼm on my lunch break,” Gladio answered as he sat across him. The marshal was otherwise known as the director of the R&D where they belonged. “I should be out in the pantry reading if That Guy wouldnʼt come out and bother me about damn fucking numbers.” Then he showed his hand to the two guys opening up their laptops. “No offense to you guys, I know you both do good work but your manager—” 

“Yeah, yeah, we know,” Noctis cut him off, eyes zeroing in on his screen as his fingers moved across the keys. “We think heʼs an ass, too.”

“Seriously,” Prompto sighed, falling back to his leather seat, arms thrown up over his head. “Everyone's adding all these requirements on our heads but he still wants the same amount of deliverables by month-end…who put him there, anyway?” 

“Who else?” Gladio eyed the brunette across him who glared at him in a donʼt-pull-my-dad-into-this sort of way. “But seriously, youʼd think the CEO of a multimillion software company would promote his one and only son to dev manager at least.” 

“If he did that, Iʼd quit,” Noctis said, going back to his work. “And if that happens, whoʼs going to handle all your tickets? Prompto canʼt do them all.” 

Gladio gestured his book to him. “Touché. Donʼt quit, okay?” 

Noctis snorted, “As if Promptoʼs gonna quit. Not while Aranea and Cindy are both in our teams.” 

“Hey!” Prompto bared his teeth at his friend, trying to threaten him into silence. It was an open secret, though, that Prompto Argentum had a crush on those two. “Oh but,” he was also known for switching moods as easily as a stone skipped, “why arenʼt they here? I thought there were six of us selected for his agile class?” 

“Theyʼre with the marshal last month,” Gladio answered. “We couldnʼt join ‘cause of the Adagium scare. And then the coach Dave had to quit ‘cause of some health emergency so this guyʼs a new one.” 

“Ohhh…” Prompto said, nodding his way back to his seat, pulling up the hood of his vest. 

After that, he returned to his book while Prompto and Noctis focused on their work, both of them soon looking at each otherʼs screens and pointing out stuff. 

Prompto would be typing on Noctisʼ keyboard when someone would knock and push the door open. “My apologies for being late, there was a line going up in the elevator.” 

“No worries, we were just—” Gladio heard the telltale thump- _thump_ of his heart when he raised his eyes from his yellowing pages. “T, talking…” He knew this guy was some multi-awarded genius or other. 

But nobody told him he was _stunningly handsome_ , too! The type to wear his tawny hair in a distinctive pompadour, as if it was still in style (and it may very well be if _he_ was doing it), his blazer just hanging over his shoulders, animal prints on his full-sleeves… 

And glasses that must have cost as much as Gladioʼs monthly salary. “Just the four of us?” Asked as he was putting down his laptop at the front of the glass table, where he could connect it to the wall TV. 

“Yup!” Prompto piped up and bless his soul for it, because Gladio was too dumbstruck to respond. 

“Very well, then.” He slipped off his glasses to clean it before he put it back on, which must have been the most magical 3 seconds of Gladioʼs life. “Perhaps we can start with some introductions? I find that thatʼs always the best place to begin.” And so he did. 

With an expert sweep of his blazer as if it was some royal cape, or a net for fishing Gladioʼs very heart. “My name is Ignis Scientia and Iʼve been a certified SAFe Agilist and Scrum Master for more than 5 years, currently taking up my certification for the PO track.” Then he brought his arms across his chest, as if to show off his perfectly tapered waist along with his level of experience. “Before this, I led several cross-functional project teams in my previous companies, both in IT much like this one, before I decided to pursue my current career. So suffice to say, I think Iʼll know a bit of what you are all going through here.” He smiled. Damn and he was more eloquent than a dictionary, too. “So, that is me in brief. Now whoʼs next?” Whoʼs— 

Oh. 

Now normally, Gladio wouldnʼt mind being next. He was a friendly guy and the get-the-ball-rolling kind who always didnʼt have all day. But this wasnʼt like any of his past experiences where he didnʼt feel like some errant Messenger bombarded his heart with arrows. So either one of his two friends would have to step up for now. 

Noctis did, who suddenly caught a coughing fit which suspiciously sounded like, “Glerdio…Glerdio!” behind his fist. Gladio recognized the name too late but blanched right on the dot. 

“Gerdio?” Ignis picked up his incriminating mutters sharply, much to Gladioʼs rising distress. He turned to either side of the long table. “Whoʼs Gerdio?” 

“OH.” Prompto jolted in his seat on cue and cleared his own throat. Gladio grabbed his book, ready to pitch it at his face. “What Noct is saying is…” A narrow arm shot straight at Gladio. “Heʼs _GLAD_ uhh… _YOU_ came!” Gladio would be glad to smash his laptop up his bearded chin for that stupid pun, too. 

Noctis cackled. “Nice one, Prompto!” The two daemons bumped their knuckles together. 

“Oh, is he?” Ignis smiled, eyes twinkling at his very passive suggestion as he turned to the blushing suspect. “Are you Gerdio?” 

For whatever it was worth, that misheard name at least distracted him from his nervous state. “Itʼs Gladio,” he sighed. 

“Gladio,” Ignis repeated, smiling brighter. Why did his name sound like a chorus of Messengers when he said it? His brows crinkled at the slightest as he adjusted his posture. “Very well, letʼs start with you. Whatʼs your story? That is to say, what is a man who looks like he belongs to a punk rock band, reading a cyberpunk classic by Gillian Wilson…” Gladioʼs heart made another thump-thump. He knew Gillian Wilson, he knew the book! “…doing in a cyber security software company?” What indeed. 

Gladio scratched under his half-pony in embarrassment. Should have kept his leather jacket on but it was always hot in that meeting room and it wasnʼt like he still hid his tats from Prompto and Noctis. “Well,” he tried to play it cool so he tossed a casual shrug to get into the mood, “someone hereʼs gotta watch out for these guys.” He nodded to both his friends who snorted and rolled their eyes and waved the bad air in response. 

“So you are their manager.” 

“Iʼm the quality guy who catches the bugs these idiots put in the code.” 

“Thatʼs low!” Prompto booed with Noctis who thumbed him down with his nose pinched. 

Ignis nodded his head, first with an impressed look then to invite him to go on. 

Gladio cleared his throat, then. “So Iʼm Gladio Amicitia, senior tester and Iʼve been with this company for almost ten years now. Certified member of the national library,” Ignis snorted timidly at his quip, which only egged him on, “also a 3rd-rank black belter in Gilgameshian Martial Arts and…” Another shrug. “Iʼm free after 7.” Heʼs—

“ _Whoah!_ ” Prompto looked like he was about to jump up his seat while Noctis clapped his hands and flew back with a silent, loud laughter. Both reactions hit Gladio like paper planes on a wall as he sat stunned like a stone statue by his own words. What the fuck did he—was he _too cool_?! 

“Gladio, you didnʼt tell us you were an agile expert, too!” Noctis whooped later. 

“Seriously, that was fast!” Prompto added. 

It seemed like a small miracle that Ignisʼ only reaction was the widening of his eyes and the rising of his cheeks as his smile stretched longer. “I see,” he said, completely professional. “Thank you for that, Mr. Amicitia. With regards to your last question, though,” he turned to both friends smacking their palms together, “Iʼll let you know what my answer is… _after_ I hear their thoughts about you.” Silence on their side of the table. 

After exchanging wild glances, both of them shot up to their feet, racing for the honor to be the first to roast him.

**Author's Note:**

> gillian wilson = william gibson but in reverse lmao. anywayyyy ty for dropping by lol 💕


End file.
